Rick Astley - Are We There Yet?

by Nick Dent-Robinson

published: 25 / 10 / 2023

Label: Select Label
Format: CD

Smooth and highly professional new album from 80’s icon Rick Astley whose comeback over the last few years has been remarkable

Review

In recent years, Rick Astley has bounced back from being considered as a 1980s has-been to assume national treasure status. This new-found resurgence in popularity was reaffirmed at this year's Glastonbury when Astley made his first-ever Pyramid Stage appearance to a rapturous reception followed by a second showing at the event when he sang Smiths covers alongside indie quintet Blossoms. His comeback started with his 2016 album ‘50’ which was followed by an unlikely ‘Rickrolling’ internet craze and it has gained pace ever since. Rick Astley now has an autumn through spring UK tour plus a new album, ‘Are We There Yet?’ The live shows promise to be a fun-filled feast of nostalgia, sprinkled with hits like 1987's ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ and the album showcases a mature artist who is now at ease moving between various musical genres. Astley, now 57, started making the new record in his home studio during lockdown, playing most of the instruments himself. There is a Nashville twang on ‘Dippin' My Feet’, a country-rock number on which he tells of his distrust of “city boys” and his desire to dip his feet in the waters of the Mississippi river. It is a catchy number - though maybe just a little incongruous when sung by a lad from Newton-Le-Willows, on the edge of Merseyside! There are several blue-eyed soul tracks with ‘Waterfall’ reminiscent of work by Bill Withers and Martha Reeves and ‘Never Gonna Stop’ created with an arrangement inspired by Marvin Gaye's ‘What's Going On’. ‘Blue Sky’ is an attractive piano-led reflection on the stillness of Astley's garden during lockdown and ‘Forever And More’ is a nice northern soul pastiche. ‘Are We There Yet?’ is a smooth, highly professional album – and it should help Rick Astley sustain his recently achieved national treasure status!

Track Listing:-

1 Dippin My Feet
2 Letting Go
3 Golden Hour
4 Never Gonna Stop
5 Close (Your Shoes)
6 High Enough
7 Forever And More
8 Driving Me Crazy
9 Maria Love
10 Take Me Back To Your Place
11 Waterfall
12 Blue Sky